BJP MP Nishikant Dubey clarifies Marathi-Hindi row, says remarks were twisted

Amid a political storm over his recent remarks that triggered outrage in Maharashtra, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey clarified his stance on Wednesday, asserting that his comments were taken out of context and misrepresented.

Speaking to reporters in Gangtok, Dubey sought to defuse the controversy surrounding his use of the phrase "patak patak ke maarenge", which had drawn sharp criticism from multiple quarters, including Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who termed the comments “inappropriate and wrong.”

Dubey explained that his statement was intended to highlight Maharashtra’s proud role in the freedom struggle and the significance of the Marathi language, alongside other classical Indian languages like Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu. “Marathi is a respected and original language. People’s love for their mother tongues should be honoured,” he said.

He clarified that his remarks were not aimed at the Thackeray family, the Maratha community, or Maharashtra as a whole. “This is being twisted like asking who pays taxes. Just because SBI’s headquarters is in Mumbai doesn’t mean all taxes come from Maharashtra. Similarly, standing in Sikkim doesn't mean Sikkim pays all the taxes,” he said, drawing a parallel to emphasize his point.

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Dubey also addressed his comments on Maharashtra’s economic contribution, asserting that while the state plays a key role in India's economy, “that doesn’t mean people who live and work there but speak other languages are any less Indian.” He added, “Mukesh Ambani lives in Mumbai and speaks little Marathi. The SBI Chairman is from Andhra Pradesh and speaks Telugu. India’s diversity is its strength.”

Warning against the dangers of regional discrimination, Dubey said, “If you continue to create an atmosphere of hate against people from other states—Rajasthan, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Bengal, or earlier against Tamil Nadu or Gujarat—it becomes a threat to the unity of the nation.”

The controversy erupted after Dubey’s reported remarks were perceived as inflammatory and disrespectful, prompting Fadnavis to publicly distance the party from the statement. “It was inappropriate. These are not the words we support,” the Maharashtra CM had said on July 8.

Dubey’s clarification comes as a bid to contain the political fallout and reaffirm a message of national unity amid growing linguistic and regional sensitivities.